Flight Design USA adds distributors

Flight Design USA has appointed Wilmington, N.C.-based Flight Design South East and south Florida-based Americana Aviation as new distributor representatives.

“We are very pleased to appoint Flight Design South East, operated by Walt Conlogue as the distributor for a territory including North and South Carolina, Virginia, northern Georgia, and eastern Tennessee,” said Flight Design USA president Tom Peghiny. “Walt is a longtime aviation businessman who has been involved in the LSA sector since its beginning making him a particularly desirable candidate for our company.”

“After decades in the aviation business, we knew what it would take to have a good relationship between an LSA manufacturer, its distributors, and our company,” said Conlogue, a principal of Flight Design South East. “Foremost it was important that the manufacturer had years of experience in building LSAs and enjoyed a significant portion of the U.S. market. After conducting our research, everything pointed to acquiring a relationship with Flight Design.”

“We also welcome Americana Aviation as a distributor,” said Peghiny. Americana has been an important dealer in south Florida, which tends to be the contact point for significant south American interest. “Chris Benaiges and Tony Alvarez are strong business people with complimentary skill sets that should benefit the operation of a distributorship,” Peghiny added.

“The Flight Design CTLS is a cutting edge aircraft that has revolutionized the General Aviation market; it is the aircraft that has first time flyers saying, ‘This is a real airplane.’ The CTLS is an airplane that has it all, visibility, fuel range, fuel economy, baggage space, BRS parachute, and glass panel,” said Chris Beniages, one of two partners operating Americana Aviation. “Flight Design has become the industry leader in the LSA market.” An ATP, Benaiges also flies for a U.S. airline.

Flight Design distributors are tasked with ordering aircraft in multiples to support the dealerships in their territory. They also manage those dealers and coordinate service for customer. Both functions require stronger management and financial capabilities; Flight Design South East and Americana Aviation were found up to the task during the vetting process by Flight Design USA.